Fine
by Demons Of Doom
Summary: Elphaba and Glinda's lives will change forever after Dorothy's visit to Kiamo Ko. All of Oz will change and noone knows if for the better but many of them will fight for the change to happen.
1. Dorothy

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but this netbook…and not even that since I'm still paying for it XD. It's an alternative ending to the book with some stuff of the musical.

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Glinda jumped off her phoenix's back with surprising grace, considering the height of the bird and the dress she was wearing. As soon as her feet touched the ground however, all traces of majestic beauty and real dignity banished. The Good Witch of the North –as everyone seemed to call her since Nessa's death- ran towards the interior of Kiamo Ko castle, muttering under her breath and kicking away her shoes on the run after stumbling a couple of times.

The Scarecrow and the Tin Man had informed her that flying monkeys had taken Dorothy and the Lion away, howling and shrieking like a flock of demons. She remembered the last time she had seeing Elphaba. It had being on Nessarose's funeral. The desperation and confusion she had seeing on the strange eyes of her friend haunted her for days and soon enough, Glinda found herself on the back of the phoenix, trying desperately to locate the so called Wicked Witch of the West.

Her friend was a green woman that practically glowed in the dark. And during the day, her dark clothing would make a stunning contrast with the yellow road that crossed Oz from East to West and that was probably the way she was going. But Glinda was unable to locate her friend. The friend she was looking for, anyway. She did found Boq.

"I think she lost it." Milla aired her unasked opinion. "Stormed out of here, cursing her heart out."

"She said something about shoes." Boq added, worried and clearly unhappy. "I think she went for the girl, Glinda. I don't know what's happened to her, but I hope she doesn't do something stupid."

Glinda hoped so as well, and more fervently as her eyes darted around the dark corridors and halls of the huge castle at Kiamo Ko. At first, the silence and emptiness of the place was more unsettling than the image she had pictured on her mind: a green unbalanced woman cornering a frightened child with the aid of winged rabid monkeys. But then, the silence was broken by the wild barking of that pest that was _Tito, tuto…Toto_. Then there were roars: the Lion. And then, an ear piercing howl that sent shivers up her spine and filled her heart with horror.

"Ephaba!"

Glinda ran as fast as she could, wishing for the first time on her life that her clothing wasn't so ostentatious. That stupid dress kept getting on her way. It was like trying to walk on water.

She stopped on her tracks. There was an old woman sprawled at the foot of a staircase. For a moment, she just stood there, frozen and afraid. But then the screams of agony repeated and a juvenile, though manly voice shouted:

"I'm coming, Dorothy! Just hang on!"

The Lion roared again and Glinda fell on her knees, looking for a pulse on the old, flaccid skin of the woman's neck. There was none. She shuddered and felt a lump on her throat. Placing the woman in a more dignified position, the sorceress placed the pale arms across the unmoving chest. Then she continued her way towards the source of all the noise, breathing heavily for the unexpected amount of sudden exercised, but refusing to stop. The howls of agony turned into shrieks of rage. Whatever it was happening, it wasn't going to end nicely if someone didn't stop it.

The Lion turned from the door he had being slamming against and seemed startled. There was the dog, barking and jumping and someone else. A boy-a bit overweight and with a vaguely familiar face- that stared at her with confusion.

Glinda took of her wand and both the Lion and Liir jumped away immediately.

Dorothy screamed and covered her head with both arms as the door suddenly exploded. She ran, sobbing and weeping openly, and crumbled in a corner. What new horror would come once the rain of splinters settled down? What monster or insane entity would emerge from the smoke? What more pain would she inflict upon those people with her stupidity? She just wanted to go home.

The Lion jumped through first in a surprising show of bravery. He located Dorothy and ran towards her, the fat boy and the dog on his heels.

Glinda glanced briefly at the girl and then turned to the other person on the room. There was a pool of blood forming below slim mutilated legs and moans of pain escaped from between thin green lips. Elphi was screaming, sobbing and whimpering at the same time.

Glinda was too horrified and confused to do much. As she knelt next to Elphaba, staring at the disfigured legs and gagging at the smell of burnt flesh, a winded monkey entered the room and shrieked.

"_Witch Why Wound?" _It said, managing to sound horrified and confused_. "Witch Wont Wound?!"_

And then, abandoning all pretence of speech, it started shrieking and jumping hysterically around the wounded witch, flapping its wings vigorously. And then, it stopped, and jumped right in front of Glinda, its dark huge eyes wide open.

"_Care! Witch Why Wound?! Nurse!_"

Glinda snapped out of her shock and examined with trembling hands the extension of the damage, sobbing and whimpering herself, feeling useless and lost.

"Elphaba!" She finally pleaded, trying to turn the wounded woman on her back.

But the Witch pushed her hand away with sudden rage.

"You accursed brat!"

Glinda tried to keep her precarious balanced, and failed miserably. The huge dress getting on her way the whole time, she finally fell ungracefully on her ass. Elphaba was trying to stand, helping herself with the remaining of her broom.

The Lion jumped forward to face her, but always staying behind Toto and Liir.

"Don't you dare to put one green hand on this child!" He said, baring his teeth. "I won't let you!"

"Neither will I." Liir stated, crossing his chubby arms across his chest.

The Witch, pale and trembling, still managed to look dangerous. She laughed: a hideous ear-piercing cackle.

"How everything turns into a stab to the heart." She said, her tears opening gashing wounds on her face, as if they were broken pieces of glass dogging on her flesh. The humorless smile disappeared from her face, and she took a trembling hand to cover her eyes.

Chistery whimpered and walked towards Elphaba, as Glinda managed to get to her knees and was working to stand back up. The monkey made a chirping sound and took the green hand of the woman on his own. Elphaba snatched it away.

"Go away, Chistery. Go to Nanna, and stay with her. And you…you take the shoes. Take them, I don't want them anymore." As Glinda stood and moved towards her, Elphaba's good leg buckled and the woman fell down on her knees, letting out a low whimper of pain. Her hand never left her ruined face.

"Elphi, let me see…" Glinda said, trying to get her friend to lie down. "Elphie, you gotta stop crying. You are hurting yourself."

The others were silent. Even Toto, for once, stopped barking.


	2. Nightmars all awake

Glinda's eyes snapped open as the door closed.

"I'm sorry." Dorothy apologized, walking towards the bed with a tray on her hands.

Glinda smiled briefly. She was tired and it was a matter of time before she fell from her chair. But even the hard stone floor seamed like a nice place to take a nap on. She was just so tired.

"_Sleep. Soft. Sick_."

Glinda re-opened her eyes again as Chistery's voice dragged her back to reality. She glared at him as he shrieked un-melodically as he always seemed to do when he was nervous.

"Hush." She ordered crossly. "With all it cost me to make her sleep."

Dorothy had placed the tray down on the tiny night table next to the bed and tried to pet the monkey to calm him down. But the beast snarled and snapped the hand away, jumping back and away to join the pack of winged monkeys staring at them from the shadows. Glinda hated the beasts, but they refused to leave the room. Maybe, their primitive minds had a certain sense of loyalty. Maybe they had a spell on them. Was Elphaba _that_ powerful?

"Her skirt caught fire." Dorothy said in a small voice. "I tried to…I didn't knew."

"Not many people do." Glinda removed some wet locks away from Elphaba's sweating face as the witch slept. "And I guess it is for the best…as it will be that not many people know what happened here."

Glinda sighed and straightened. The Tin Man and the Scarecrow would soon be at Kiamo Ko's door. And then Dorothy, the Lion and that boy, Liir would leave. But not before the child understood something really important.

"Elphi is not a murderer. She never was, never will. She…" Her eyes filled with tears again but she swallowed them. This needed to be said fast and stated clearly. "Dorothy, there are many strange things happening in Oz. Many of which not even I, or Elphaba, not even the Wizard himself understand. He sent you here to kill the Witch."

"I would never have …"

"Yes, you would. You have, as a matter of fact."

Glinda fixed her blue eyes on Dorothy's.

"You threw a bucket of water on her, and she burnt. And she died."

For a moment, Dorothy seemed confused and abashed with guilt, but then the light of understanding started illuminating her face and her hunted eyes brighten.

"The Wicked Witch of the West is dead." The child nodded, straighten like a little general and wearing an expression of grim determination. But then she hesitated. "He wanted proves…"

"Take the burnt broom. And maybe…maybe the burnt clothes too. Tell the Lion to take it for you. I've talked to him already. He understands and will be there to help you." Glinda assured her. "No one else must know. Not the Wizar, not the Tin Man nor the Scarecrow."

"She is gone and dead." Dorothy stated, but even then her eyes watered and her lip trembled. But she didn't cry again. Instead, she rubbed her eyes furiously with the back of her wrist and turned to the tray. "Liir made some tea, and sandwiches."

Glinda didn't know what to make of Liir. Elphaba seemed particularly sensitive to the kid's lack of attention and open hostility. But neither she nor the boy would say what link there was between them. Well, Elphaba hadn't said much about anything except to protest and curse them all.

"I should be leaving now." Dorothy's voice startled her again out of her thoughts. "I really miss my family and my home."

Glinda raised her eyes from the sleeping face of Elphaba. Dorothy seemed so fragile and lost. Smilling, the Good Witch of the North stood, and hugged her tenderly.

"Everything happens for a reason, honey. Maybe good things will come out of this. No one ever knows. Be safe."

"You too. And tell her I'm sorry about everything."

"I will."

The door closed softly behind Dorothy as she left. Glinda was alone with the unmoving figure on the bed. Did she really know Elphaba all that much? Had she really contemplated the downfall of a great mind? Or had merely seeing one of many break downs? One chaotic event, out of many? They have being together for three years, after all. What were three years compared to a life time of separation?

Glinda caressed with two creamy fingers the bandages covering Elphaba's cheeks. She had never seeing Elphi cried before and now Glinda had a certain idea of why she had such an iron control on her emotions. At least where sadness was concerned. The tears hurt her. They cut and burnt the flesh like tiny drops of acid. So much pain and still, Elphaba was denied even the release of tears.

What a tragic creature, what a sad course of events.

Dorothy climbed down the stairs and walked towards the main hall, where the Lion was waiting for her. Toto was scampering around her feet, whimpering. She had the strange feeling that he liked the Witch.

"Dorothy…" The Lion greeted her.

"Let's go." She said, carrying the burnt broom stick, the burnt clothing of the witch and a greenish bottle on which it could be read "Miracl…Elix"

Liir followed them, all smiles and enthusiasm shining on his eyes.

"You are coming with us?" Dorothy asked him as he followed them outside.

"Well, yes! I…" He blushed and lowered his eyes. "I like you, you know."

"But who will take care of her? Fabala? Elphibi?"

"Elphaba…" Liir corrected absently. "Glinda is here with her. She will take care of her. I want to go with you."

"But she is your mom, isn't she?"

Liir jumped, blushed and then giggled.

"No, she is not. She is just old Auntie Witch."

Dorothy's face grew somber.

"She is your family. And there is nothing more important than family. I lost mine…" her voice broke. "And I missed them so much that my heart hurts. And I know that my parents in heaven, and my auntie and Uncle at home, are worried about me and miss me as much as I miss them. No, you can't do this to yourself and to her. You must stay."

"Oh, she doesn't care about me! Chistery and the others can do as much as I can. Please, let me come with you. I can protect you better than this coward overweight cat."

"Well, am not the only overweight here, now am I?" The Lion huffed, offended.

"You helped me and my Toto so bravely." Dorothy stated, taking his hands on her own. "And I will be forever grateful. But I would be even more if you stay here. Lion will protect me on my way. And there is also the Tin Man and the Scarecrow and my Auntie and Uncle are waiting for me at home. You just have her, and she just has you." And without even waiting for his response, Dorothy hugged him. "Take care and be safe."

Liir just stood there, watching their departure. Finally he turned and stormed inside the castle to sulk.


	3. A Dream

"_See what you did?" Nessa said reprovingly. "This is all the power sorcery has. if it's not a trick, then it's a dangerous weapons of the corrupted."_

_Glinda sighed, contemplating with frustration the headless body of Doctor Dillamond. The Goat was sitting at the table with them, holding on his paws a small plate and a cup. He didn't seem to mind that Glinda had made his head explode just a few seconds ago. _

"_But you see you can't turn a Goat into a goat?" Elphaba said, covered in pieces of flesh and skin from the doctor's detonated head. "It's still a Goat even if he has no tongue to speak." She removed a yellowish eye off the sleeve of her dress and she offered it to Glinda on a fingertip. "See?"_

_Glinda gagged and turned her head away. Nessarose was glaring at her sister. Then she opened her mouth and…shrieked. _

"_Geez, stop it!" Glinda protested, the un-melodic noise hurting her ears. "Nessa!"_

_But Nessa kept shrieking, an inhuman sound. Then Glinda remembered…wasn't Nessa dead? Haven't they graduated Shiz decades ago? Nessa, the decapitated Goat, Elphaba, everything faded to black. But the shrieking continued._

Suddenly realizing where she was and what she was doing, Glinda straightened on the chair, snapping her eyes open. For a moment, the only thing she could do was breathing. And then she registered the empty bed, the winged monkeys were screeching and chirping and chattering around a silent figure.

There were three black birds, perched on the window. Elphaba stood next to them with her head slumped forward, her arms doubled at the elbows, her hands on the window like the slim legs of some overgrown bird. A huge, overgrown crow.

"Elphi?" She finally said, feeling a bit guilty for making such an unfortunate comparison. "You shouldn't be up…your legs."

She couldn't see how she was standing. The moon was not giving enough light but she remembered the hideous wounds and all the blood. She gagged at the memory.

Elphaba however, was standing ten feet away from her bed.

"What is it?"

Elphaba ignored her. Chistery was next to her, chattering and chirping, trying to take a hold of her hand. Glinda fought a moment with the oil lamp resting on the night table and finally managed to lighten it. The monkeys were all around their mistress, like a flock of children around their mother. Even the crows seemed expectant and nervous.

The sorceress finally stood and rounded the bed, walking carefully among the winged beasts to reach her friend. She noted that her right leg was buckled and hanging languidly on one side, lifeless and useless. That one had taken the most damaged, attacked by both fire and water at the same time.

Elphaba's face was hidden in between long curtains of dark silky hair. Glinda placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. Elphaba didn't move. There was a piece of parchment on her hand. Glinda managed to remove it from her green crisp fingers. The handwriting was crude as if a Pig or a Goat would have tried to write with their hooves.

_Princess Nastosha with spirits now We help in time_

Glinda didn't know who this Princess Nastosha was, but evidently she was someone very important for the Witch. Elphaba seemed to be struggling to keep the tears inside. She sighed. When was this nightmare going to end?

"Elphie…"

"You should have let me die…"


	4. Animals animals and the rest

Thanks for the reviews :) And yes, **youngwarroir955**, the book is depressing. Fitting ending....but oh so sad :(

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Glinda was wishing fervently that her stupid phoenix would hurry up. She had sent a letter to her beloved husband, letting him know where she was and what she was doing–lying on both subjects, of course. There was also a list of items –all carefully detailed and described- that should be sent back with her bird.

As the sun set on the horizon and Kiamo Ko was swallowed by darkness one more time, Glinda sighed and turned from the window to her sulking companion. Elphaba still refused to talk to them. She sang lullabies to the monkeys, and sometimes talked with the crows when the birds perched around the bed. But her voice was never above a tiny whisper.

Physically, she had improved. Liir had found a physician on the village more than willing to tend to the Witch. And she had not being the only one. Any number of villagers followed promptly, all wanting to lead a hand. They brought food, water from the lake, milk, wine and medicinal herbs. Glinda was touched and hoped fervently that Elphie would notice this show of support on their part.

But everything involving Elphaba seemed destined to be complicated.

As the days went by, Glinda noted that those people were _way_ too attentive. Something on their faces and shows of appreciation reminded her of the people on the rest of Oz and of their sometimes mindless respect for the Wizard. It became a new source of worries. Elphaba was an extremist where politics was concerned. If she someday snapped out of her depression and abandoned her lone-wolf ways to face the fact that this people actually see her as some kind of leader and protector-and if she decided to actually take charge for a change- then the Wizard would find himself facing a very dangerous rival.

If he was still alive, that is.

Liir spent his days snooping around the lines of soldiers camping near Red Windmill. There were rumors of something big happening on the Emerald City. Something related with the Wizard and an execution. It seemed too big to be more than a rumor but also a way too sensitive subject for a soldier to risk talking about for the pleasure of gossiping.

She would find out soon enough what was going on. She just needed to wait for her bird to return.

And she thought the phoenixes were fast…

Elphaba opened her eyes when the monkey stirred. They exchanged a loving glance and then the animal hopped down and spread its wings. Soon, there was a new one demanding attention, and her green arms opened to welcome the beast on her lap. A green mommsie, with furry winged babies.

"I sent my phoenix home for some things." Glinda said, more to listen a human voice -even if it was her own- than expecting an answer. "Maybe when he arrives, we could go to the village and buy some things…like new clothes. Using the same clothe for days isn't really adding to…uh…your scent." She smiled apologetically, but Elphaba didn't seem to mind. She didn't seem to be listening either.

"_Cloth. Stink_."

Glinda turned to look at Chistery. The creature sniffed the little jacket he had on and bare his teeth in a grotesque grimace, shaking his head.

"What happened to him?" She asked, petting him with her fingertips. "I've never seeing an Animal act this way."

Elphaba's eyes opened and for the first time in days, she acknowledged Glinda's presence.

"Can't see the difference anymore?"

"What?"

"He is not a Monkey."

"But he talks!"

"Yes."

Glinda frowned. She remembered the dream, the headless Doctor Dillamond. _He is still an Animal, even if he has no tongue to speak. _Were animals, still animals even if they talked?

"Is it a spell?"

"No. What do you care what he is anyway? What difference is there anymore between one and the other if both are slaves and food for you?"

"Hey, that's not true! I don't eat Animals and I don't trade them as if they were property."

"And still you call _phoenix_ your Phoenix."

"What? He is no Phoenix."

"You didn't even bother to ask, I see."

Glinda frowned. The bird….or Bird had never talked to her. And still he seemed to understand most of the instructions he was given. But phoenixes were so smart. Maybe, he was just well trained. Maybe…

Maybe life was just a long stream of maybes. She sighed and turned back to the window. Things would be straighten out once the bird returned.

Curse that stupid bird for being so slow.

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"Nanny is dead. You pushed her off the stairs."

Glinda chocked on her tea. She had managed to drag Elphaba to the dining hall that evening and as they sat in silence- chewing slowly on their rancid cheese and dry bread- Elphie noted the empty chair. Her friend just stared at Liir numbly, and then returned to her plate.

"Oh…"

"Accidents will happen." Glinda said, trying to sooth her and glaring at the tackles…_peasant_. "We were all so edgy that day, so upset and…"

She stopped. Everyone had their eyes glued to their plates again. Only Chistery seemed to be paying attention and he wasn't even a **M**onkey.

The old winkie physician murmured something. Liir used to call her Ms Potato. And at first, Glinda just let him be. The woman apparently didn't understand what it was being told to her anyway and there were more pressing matters at the time. But when Chistery took the platonic comparison literally and decided to check how the walking potato tasted -biting the poor woman's ear and almost taking a piece off- Glinda scolded Liir at length and, for once, the boy obeyed and dropped the nickname. He was a good boy most of the time.

"Would you ask our guest where it would be a nice place to do some shopping?" Glinda said, smiling politely at the winkie woman.

Liir translated her question to the Vinkus language and Ms Potato mumbled again.

"She says the village. But I would say the Emerald City." Liir answered. "What if we go there? You and I, I mean…" He blushed. Glinda was old enough to be her mother, and still he seemed baffled with her beauty. It was flattering. "To buy this _stuff_….and then we can come back."

Glinda sighed. How she wished to go the Emerald City too- to the new market opening right on the center of the city and all that. But leaving Elphaba alone was not an option.

"The village it is then." She smiled with badly faked enthusiasm

Ms Potato kept chewing on her food.

Something jumped on top of her and the Good Witch of the North suddenly sat upright and threw a punch at the darkness with a mighty howled curse. There was a thud and a startled shriek of pain.

"_No! Mean! Hurt poor Chist!_"

Chistery's voice whined in the dark as Glinda searched clumsily from her lamp on the night table.

"_Fae! Witch. Mean_!"

The door of the room was slammed shut, and Glinda started. When she finally managed to lit the stupid lamp, Chistery had left and was shrieking and wailing in the corridors outside.

Elphaba was sleeping on the other side of the room, snoring softly. Glinda heaved a quivering breath, her heart slowing its frantic pace. And then she froze. There was a huge eye staring at her from the window.

"I'm putting a bell on everyone's neck first thing tomorrow." Glinda promised with a hiss throwing the blankets off of her and storming towards the window, where the golden head of her phoenix was now poking through. "Down!"

The bird blinked and descended. Glancing one last time at Elphaba, Glinda opened the door and left the room.

Liir bitter protests stopped abruptly when they reached the patio. The sight of the mighty bird seemed compensation enough for the fact of being awaken before sunrise to carry heavy luggage like an ass.

"Are you a boy or a girl?" He asked while un-strapping a rather heavy case off the bird's back.

"He is male." Glinda answered without thinking, but then the echo of Elphaba's words resounded on her mind. "….right?"

The phoenix blinked and then shrugged.

"Why does it matter?"

Glinda's jaw tightened. It was a Phoenix…and it was a _she_. The Good Witch opened her mouth, closed it again, blushed and then cleared her throat.

"You are the hugest Bird I've ever seeing!" Liir stated in awed. "Well, I'm told rocs are even bigger, but I've never seeing a roc before."

The Phoenix shuddered.

"Dreadful things they are. Not very smart either." Golden eyes fell briefly on the blushing Glinda. "Like some crawling things."

That snapped her out of her embarrassment.

"You forget yourself." She remarked stiffly, coldly. "I still am who I am. And you still are my…uh…servant, I guess."

The Phoenix snorted.

"Servants get paid."

"I do give you food and shelter."

"What about some of the gold coins I brought all the way from the Emerald City to this forsaken place?"

"What would a Bird want with gold?"

"What would one single hairless Chimp want with so many clothing?"

Liir glanced from Glinda to the Phoenix. Then he picked two cases and hurried inside.

It was a game of sorts. She wasn't sure Elphie see it that way, but Glinda did. Either she managed to anger her friend and force her out of her autism, or Elphaba managed to keep her façade of indifference and silence.

Glinda Chuffrey Upland never loosed, though.

The Phoenix sat at the table with them during breakfast. The sorceress questioned her extensively about the situation of Birds in all Oz. The Beasts were forced to either be slaves in so called civilization, or returned to the wild. _At the mercy of the crop or the hunters, _as they said. Birds, however, had wings and therefore access to places very difficult to reach for humans. Those that stayed were either caged or disabled. Why did healthy and unrestrained Birds stayed?

"It's not all that bad." The Phoenix said. "My owners have always being good to me." She glanced at Glinda. "Even though quite rude at times."

Elphaba kept her eyes down. But they weren't so dull and indifferent anymore.

"But you are a beast of burden. Isn't that annoying?" Glinda pressed on.

The Phoenix clacked her beak and white eyelids covered the golden sockets of her eyes for an instant.

"You humans are only causing damage to yourselves with this stupidity." The Animal finally said. Elphaba raised her eyes from the plate, but Glinda wasn't paying attention to her anymore. The game was forgotten. "I was a guardian, like all of my kind. We protected you with fearsome determination from horrors that had apparently ceased to exist for you. _Real_ threats and not this joke of a war the Wizard is trying to cause…or was. You pulled us away from our duties to be slaves and servants. To be mounts like any vulgar horse. It will come the time when you will look back to these days and regret your foolishness."

"What do you mean?"

They all started. Elphaba wasn't a decorative plant anymore. She had talked.

"We are the Guardians. We are sacred Animals." The Phoenix said.

"Yes…and Dragons and Unicorns and Elephants."

The Phoenix nodded.

"And just who assigned this title? And those important duties?" Glinda asked mildly, although her skepticism was clear on her voice. "Ozma, perhaps?"

"Lurlina herself." The Bird announced proudly.

"Really now?" One of the Good Witch's perfect eyebrows shut upwards making her look more and more like the polite but cold aristocratic lady she was expected to be at her homeland. "Are you and your kind immortal, perhaps?"

"Aren't we all?" The Bird seemed surprised at the question.

Glinda stared helplessly. But Elphaba was there to rescue her this time.

"The soul. When people die, they apparently reincarnate into a new being. The only difference between the phoenix line- and Lurlina's- and the rest of mortals is that they reincarnate on the same creatures, instead of changing forms."

"Yes." The Phoenix nodded pleased.

The Witch sneered.

"For once, Elphie, we agree. This assumptions can't be supported with any substantial proves."

"You humans will realize soon enough the mistake you have made. The world does not end in Oz. What you have as unpopulated desert, it's not. Demons and spirits roam the deadly sands, starving shadows of evil. Without us there to guard and protect the Four Horizons those wicked creatures will come and devour every living thing on their passing. We guardians shall then take our stand and defend those who deserve to live. You humans won't be missed."

The Phoenix rose to her full height, and left the room in huff of gold and red feathers. The others stayed in silence for some time. Ms Potato had her eyes wide open in an expression that would have being quite comical in other circumstances.

"Wicked…" Elphaba murmured, pocking at her food.


	5. Reunions

This chapter was a bitch to write. An absolute bitch, so I decided to separate it on three parts. It was alarmingly large anyway :P

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The Phoenix spotted a caravan on the last warmth days of summer. When it reached Kiamo Ko, most of the small trees had already lost their leafs and the days had become shorter and colder. In a few weeks, it would start to snow and winter would settle down on the Vinkus.

Glinda and Liir were waiting outside on a windy afternoon. One of wagons had separated from the rest the party to advance towards the castle, getting closer and closer at the pace of two weary horses. When it finally- _finally_- reached them, Glinda could see the face of the driver. Surprisingly enough, it was a woman's.

"Kiddo…" The stout female greeted urbanely. Liir smiled and nodded in response. "You've grown. In height and bulk."

The door of the wagon was pushed open and a young man emerged. He placed two heavy boots firmly on the moody ground and then slumped down to take something from inside. At first, Glinda presumed it was a heavy case, but then she noted another pair of legs protruding from behind the wooden door hiding them. The man guided to one said his companion: an old man, pale as a ghost and wheezing noisily. Her eyes widen in surprise and recognition.

Shell let go off his father's arm for a moment to retrieve their luggage but the feeble legs of the old man's buckled and he would have fallen- if not for Liir. The boy offered a chubby arm for support and Frex, weary and spent for the exertions of his journey, accepted the assistance with a smile.

"The Unnamed God bless you, child."

"It has being a pleasure, Oatsie." The young man said to the driver, steadying Frex with one of his long and strong arms.

The woman returned the smiled and then stuck her tongue out and twisted it in an obscenely suggestive gesture. Shell arched his back, thrusting his hips forward and winked at her.

"Greetings to you all." Glinda said coldly, blushing in spite of herself. She had not missed the exchange. "Brother Frexspar, I have not forgotten you, and this fine lad must be your son: Shell Throbb. Both of you are welcome here." She turned to the smelly wagoneress with a tight smile. "And costumes oblige on this mountain to offer food and shelter to all travelers. If you please, _Mss_ Oatsie, you are welcome to stay tonight, so may your mounts and yourself rest and prepare for the long journey ahead of you."

The woman gaped a moment and then roared with laughter.

"Well now, it has being decades since I last toppled with one with such a fine drawl." She made a mocking reverence. Glinda noted that the hand used was a bit deformed. Oatsie sniffed, snorted and spitted to one side. "I'm starving like a she-wolf with a dozen puppies, and those horses are as old and tired as a veteran whore." Glinda clenched her teeth. "But I know this place. I know what happened here. And I can be many things, but I aint stupid. I'm not going to sleep where a Witch was murdered."

Glinda paled and turned to Frex. He had being devastated on Nessa's funeral. But there were not tears on his eyes this time. There was no grief on his face. No… there was some but seemed more sympathy than actual pain. More a kind of gentle regret as if he had lost a pet- some loyal and loved dog- instead of a daughter.

"Wicked my ass." Oatsie was saying. "I know wicked when I see it and that pathetic thing didn't have it. She had the temper of the devil and was as moody as a cat in a bathtub, yes she was. But wicked? Na…" She shook her head sadly. "Oh but what do I know. Never understood what the heck that creature was doing in a Convent in the first place. She didn't seem all that religious to me."

Glinda turned as the words slowly sipped in into her brain.

"Convent?"

"Aye. She was a Sister the first time I saw her. Not mine, of course. I'm not green enough." She laughed at her own joke. "Anyway, is it true what they say? That she melted?"

Liir snorted. Glinda dogged the tall heels of her shoe on his feet in a surprisingly elegant motion.

"Oh, yes she did, the poor thing." The Good Witch said, ignoring the wailings of the boy. "There is nothing left but the memory of her passing."

Oatsie shuddered.

"Well, that's one original way to die. If I'm lucky a Dragon will snatch me from my wagon one day and swallowed me whole on the sky. But that's too much to wish for. I'm gonna end up frozen in this stupid sit one of this winters, I tell you."

"It's not something you should fear tonight, if you stay." Glinda said, suddenly finding herself liking the stout woman. "You really look like you could use a good meal. And a bath…"

Oatsie laughed again.

"Come now, bathing in cold weather is dangerous, lady. And my horses and the birds don't seem to mind my dirt." She squinted at the sky and the mirth disappeared from her eyes. "Besides, I have to leave the mountains before the first snows. I will die frozen in this stupid wagon, but it won't be this year. Everyone, it has being a pleasure….Oh, and my condolences for your loss."

She turned the horses and led them back towards the road, whistling an unknown-but quite pretty-tune.

Glinda cleared her throat and beamed at her guests. But reminding sternly to herself that this wasn't the Chuffrey palace, her huge smile turned into a smaller but far gentler.

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The Good Witch despised castles. They were gloomy, humid and an architectonic nightmare. Fruits of the pragmatism of military minds, they were square and flat with narrow windows that kept the sun away and made a perfect lair for rats, bats and other pests. Granted, if she found herself caught in the middle of a war, she would prefer to be near a castle than a palace with marble walls and gold columns holding glass terraces. But she wondered why the interior had to be so dull. Couldn't there be columns instead or arcs holding the roofs, if at least for decorative purposes. Did it hurt too much to encase a mirror in one wall or the other, framed perhaps by some delicate frame of gold? Did the doors have to be so….plain?

But as she kept thinking about it, she realized this was the first _real_ castle she had entered. And the reason of its excessive and absolute dullness wasn't a direct consequence of the structure's rigid demands. It was the arjikis. Their minds seemed incapable of understanding the pleasure of doing things for the fun of it and much less of admiring them once they were done.

But as Boq -good old Boq- used to say _Do the best you can with what you have_. So now hundreds of candles illuminated with their golden light the dark gloomy rooms of Kiamo Ko's castle. Paintings and carpets and elegant local tapestries adorned the walls and floors. With the each day colder wind howling outside, it was nice to have such solid walls around one anyway.

A winkie page led Frexspar and Shell to a guest room and she promised to meet them back at dinner. Then she turned and strode towards the interior patio.

The monkeys chattered and shrieked and nested on the Eastern and Western tower while the Phoenix had made her lair-or nest perhaps- on the northern tower. She perched there like some huge golden gargoyle, staring at the far horizon. The dawning sun made the red and yellowish feathers of her neck and chest to glow like a flame- Glinda hated that snotty thing, but she had to acknowledge breath-taking beauty when encountered.

The southern tower was probably constructed by mistake- since it stood at the verge of a cliff facing a great sea of trees - or perhaps placed there for some obscure sense of structural harmony. Since it was the only one not occupied by animals or Animals, Glinda insisted on beatifying it like the rest of the castle but Elphaba- who had remained quite docile to the most invasive measures Ms Upland imposed so far- finally put her foot down.

"It's _my_ place."

It was a short, curtly answer. But its significance was profound. Glinda hadn't insisted.

"Elphie?" She knocked on the heavy oaken door.

"Go away. I'm busy."

"There are visitors…"

"Well well, imagine that!"

"It's your brother and father."

There was a moment of silence before the door opened.

"My father was too old to travel." Elphaba snapped, popping her head out. "What on the world is he doing here?"

Glinda blinked trying to suppress the apprehension the Witch's face caused her. It had being months and she still couldn't get used to it. She wasn't sure Elphaba could sense her disgust. If she did, she wouldn't show. But it bothered Glinda.

"Well, I…I don't know. They've just arrived. You can ask them yourself…if you want. Once we clarify that you are alive, that is."

"Hah! Let him thing I'm dead! For all he must care."

She turned and was about to slam the door shut but Glinda planted her foot hastily between the door and its frame. She cringed inwardly and waited. Elphaba stopped and stared a moment at the delicate shoe, with its pale and smooth content. One of her thin eyebrows shut upwards as she lifted her head to look at Glinda.

"It would break, you know."

Glinda bit her lower lip and snatched her foot back.

"Please, talk to him. He's came all the way here because he thought you were dead."

"No, he didn't. " Elphaba sneered.

"How would you know? He loves you, Elphie…even if he doesn't show it. He is your father."

Elphaba clenched her teeth. Oh no, he wasn't her father. This Frexspar was just the person that raised her, that taught her to loath her mutated skin. It was the man that taught her how bad tears could burn; he taught her the bitter taste of indifferent glances-those that hurt even more than insults and mockery. He was also the man that taught her to read, to write, to think for herself and to have compassion for those around her. And for that all she hated him, and loved him.

Glinda bit her lower lip as Elphaba's green and haggard face rose from the floor to stare back at her again. The Witch eyes were softer now as she nodded curtly.

"Fine."

Glinda smiled and stretched one hand to touch her, but had to jerk back, the door slamming shut missing her nose for mere inches.

"And you could try to stop behaving like a moody teenager, by the way?!" She sputtered, trembling in indignation as she climbed down the stairs. "It is getting old."

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Liir's habit of telling the truth was a noble tendency- but it was also such a threat to social codes. Glinda didn't pretend him to lie, but it was a necessity- if not a moral duty- to learn the art of telling _half_ truths. His blurting out that Elphaba wasn't dead could very well stop Frex's heart. He was as sickly and feeble as a half-drowned kitten.

She kept Liir occupied the rest of the day in some _urgent_ chores. The boy wasn't stupid but was rather easy to manipulate. There was some king of hunger to do things on him. To do _anything_ that may seem remotely important. Maybe it made him fill fulfilled somehow. It was a mere play of words. A _Liir, we must keep the fire going or we may freeze_ instead of _Liir, go get more firewood, please. It's getting cold_; or a _Liir, the monkeys need to be fed_ instead of _Liir, be a good boy and feed the monkeys_.

It was exhausting but finally the time came and Glinda gestured Shell to follow her as a solicitude maid helped Frex to sit on a furnished chair and drink a bit of wine.

She led him to the music room trying to ignore the suggestive looks he was giving her. Once inside, Glinda closed the door behind her and turned to face Shell. He was grinning lustfully.

"Why is it that you brought this fine young man to this gloomy and cozy room, Mss Glinda? I have not failed to notice there are no men on this place. Not any worthy of your attention, anyway."

"Your balls have fully developed, I see." A voice said acidly from behind.

Shell turned and the blood on his body froze. He screamed and jumped back, almost slamming against a startled Glinda-landing heavily on the door instead, still screeching and gasping.

Glinda almost felt pity for him. She was well aware of Elphaba's impressive appearance. She had experienced the horror of suddenly stumbling with her in the dark corridors of the castle when less expected. Her strange hunted eyes were surrounded by dark aureoles and an expression of anger and disappointment had settled permanently upon her features, emphasizing the natural evil looking curves and edges of her skull.

Shell was a pig however. So she didn't mind all that much.

Elphaba didn't either. She stood in front of him, her back straightened to look even more imposing and holding her sharp chin high as if treating to stab his heart out if his chest if getting too closed.

But Shell did not get close. Not at first. He gaped. He panted. He glanced at Glinda several times until he slowly started to digest what was going on.

"It was a ruse!" He gasped. "You…that kid… You are not dead!"

"Well, now, maybe you are not as stupid as…"

The Wicked Witch of the West was suddenly pushed off her feet and whirled around like a rag doll. Shell laughed and screamed and danced with her on his arm, finally crushing her in a bear hug. When he put her down, there was such a shocked and terrified expression on Elphie's face that Glinda couldn't hold her laughter any longer and she soon collapsed on a near couch out of breath and with a sore liver.

"I can't believe it! Look at you! You are…you are whole…somewhat!" He gingerly traced his fingers on the scars running down her cheeks. "But you are… you are alive!"

Elphaba stood stiffly where he had dropped her as his eyes examined her closely. His welcoming had being overwhelming. She wasn't sure what to say or what to do.

"Well….that was a bit excessive." She finally huffed, wincing a bit as she wormed out of his grasp and placed the weight of her body back into her own legs. She smoothed her dark blouse and untangled her cloak from around her body. "I didn't know we were that close."

But Shell kept grinning from ear to ear.


	6. Family

For some evil reason, I can't reply reviews :-/ The system- and the System- hates me. So thanks for the reviews : ) and the favorites too. And those that are not reviewing…shame on you guys.

And yes, most of the words that sound weird are probably typos. :p so it's okay if you want to point them out. The word Phoenix instead of the exotic pfoenix (or something like that) is on purpose though. The automatic corrector on Word was driven me crazy.

And Throbb… :P Maybe it was my charming upbeat disposition. Couldn't stand to see a sad b.

Okay, I'll stop now.

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Elphaba's reunification with Frex didn't go as smoothly. It had being ten minutes since they stood face to face once again and the old man was still gaping like a fish out of water. His eyes were bulged and seemly ready to pop out of their sockets.

"Alive…" He finally panted "…by the Unnamed God…"

Shell helped him back down on the chair and held his hand. A maid handed a glass with red wine. Frex recovered his composure after drinking half of it and taking several deep long breaths.

"Oh, my Fabala…Oh, my Fabala…" He breathed over and over again. Elphaba stood there, her eyes on the ground-afraid of what she would see on his face. Just when he stretched out two trembling hands did she look. The hardness on her face seemed to melt away like a thick layer of ice. "My Fabala…"

Frex opened his arms and Elphie kneeled in front of him, wincing and clenching her teeth for the effort. Someone grabbed her arm to help her, but she didn't see who. Frex didn't hug her. He caressed her green face carefully, trying to convince himself that she wasn't a ghost- or perhaps willing those hands to see with the clarity his eyes couldn't.

"Oh, my Fabala…just like the saint you were called after. _ And she reappeared from behind the water fall that swallowed her_."

Elphie didn't move. It felt strange. This was the first time Frex touched her like this. The very first time their eyes met not out of fear or rage or stricken grief. It was love, the love of a father and his daughter. The mildest shadow of a smile formed on her grayish lips.

"Oh…"The loving eyes closed tightly and the hands now cupping her chin retreated to cover Frex's grief stricken face. "Oh, if Nessa's death would have also being a mere rumor…"

He broke and wept, wheezing and coughing roughly. They hovered around him worriedly. And when they made sure he wouldn't slumped dead from his chair, Glinda risked a glanced at Elphaba. The Witch had not jumped to hover worriedly at her father. She was still on her knees and her face was frozen in a sulking grimace. Her eyes hard and dark.

Later, as they ate, The Good Witch of the North played with her fork, thinking desperately on how to break the tense silence. The noise of silverware against porcelain and their chewing on juicy meat and crunchy vegetables was putting her teeth on edge.

"So you are a soldier." She finally blurted out to override the noise of Liir sipping the soup. "Young Liir here has a great admiration for men in uniform. He spends most of his time around the military encampment on Red Windmill."

Shell grinned.

"We all wish to be soldiers when we are kids. Do _you_ like men in uniform, Mss Glinda?"

"It's **Ms** Glinda…_sir_." She corrected stiffly. "And most definitely _not_. Uniforms are the way of many to herd themselves together and find strength and comfort in numbers- in hopes of perhaps fortifying weakling hearts and spirits if standing on their own."

Liir chocked on his soup, Elphaba's eyes widen in surprise and Shell whistled.

"Soldiers, however, are probably an exception to the rule." Glinda rushed on, blushing and aware of the pained expression on Liir's face. "They are brave respectful individuals-in the most part. The army had performed innumerable services through time to all society, including my own class-monetarily and _genderly_ speaking."

Elphie made a face and stuffed fish into her mouth.

"Well, I want to be a soldier." Liir asserted. "Will you stay here?"

"For the time being, yes."

"When you leave, I could go with you."

"Yeah…" Shell eyed the chubby teenager dubiously "I don't think that would work."

"I could be your page." Liir asserted. "I'm strong and I don't complaint much. Tell him, Ms Glinda, tell him what a good worker I am."

"Wicked Witch of the West?" Frex wheezed, snapping awake from one of his sporadic and spontaneous naps. His hand travelled again to rest on Elphaba's. The Witch winced, the tears and snot staining his skin burnt her, but she didn't pull away. "Why…why such a horrific title?"

She nagged an eye out of her fish with a silver fork.

"Maybe Nessa was some kind of prophet too. Perhaps the Unnamed God made her see I wasn't going to get her shoes….and so she made sure I would get her title."

"Don't talk ill of the dead." Frex sighed, squeezing her hand gently. "Don't talk ill of _her_ now that she can't respond."

"If she is with her beloved God, I don't think she gives a twig for what is told about her down here. I know I wouldn't."

Frex sighed again.

"Why are you two here anyway?"

"I have responsibilities, Elphaba. I…" Shell glanced guiltily at his father-but he was again dozing off. "I can't be hold back by anything. I couldn't leave father alone. Things are too chaotic. It was too dangerous."

"Why here? Isn't Oz big enough? You had to drag him all the way here? And what responsibilities, I wonder."

"There aren't any more allies out there for us. No one I could trust. We heard you ruled here."

"Ruled here? I've never ruled here!" She turned to Glinda, scowling.

She shrugged.

"There was a lot of propaganda about you, Elphie, even before that stupid rumor of Morrible's assassination at your hands."

"It wasn't a rumor!" Elphaba snapped. "I _killed_ her."

Glinda rolled her eyes but said nothing.

"Be as it may be. " Shell continued. "I gathered that even if you were dead, we would be well received here."

"The journey could have killed him. You pushed him off the fire to throw him on a frozen lake." She chocked a bit at that, her legs twitched as if with a memory of their own.

"Oh, but he landed on a bed of goose feathers." Shell grinned. "We reached this cute little paradise and found you alive. When sprint comes, I'll leave and you will be able to care for him."

"Has it occurred to you that I may have responsibilities too?" Elphaba retorted acidly. "If you were going to believed all the bullshit the Wizard had being telling about me, you could have at least connected all the _implications_. A ruler has no time for family." She was going to add _just like a devoted man_, but stopped herself. Frex was apparently listening again.

"Oh, come on, Fabbie. You have more people working than living in here. You can pay someone to take care of him."

"I'm not paying for anything."

Shell turned to Glinda.

"Don't listen to her." She said, making a dismissive gesture with one hand. "He will be taken care of. You said things were being a bit chaotic?"

"Oh, yes. Since the Wizard was executed."

Elphaba chocked on the wine she was drinking. Her hand closed on the glass with such force that it shattered into small pieces. She hissed in pain and slapped Glinda's hands away when she tried to assist her.

"When Dorothy and the other Witch Hunters arrived the Wizard refused to give them what they have asked for." Shell continued, clearly amused by his sister's reaction. "He said they were unworthy, but the Scarecrow apparently had more brain than he gave himself credit for. It was made evident that the Wizard had no power at all. The old bastard then tried to have them executed and the guards refused to obey. They thought the child to be Ozma herself. They cut _his_ head off instead in a public affair. The news flew around Oz like fire on a dry crop field. Everyone went mad and the ministers had to do something to calm things down. They have crowned Dorothy as the new Ozma."

They all jumped startled when a green fist slammed violently on the table, scattering the pieces of broken glass everywhere. The Witch murmured darkly and she slumped over her plate, resting her cheek on the now bleeding hand.

"The Tin Man and the Scarecrow and the Lion were named her guardians and advisors."  
Shell continued hesitantly. "They all hoped the reunification would go on smoothly after this. There hasn't being any serious confrontation yet, but things are tense.

As this fine lady probably knows, the Gillikins had declared themselves a free state. The Gillikus blocked the roads and are preparing an army to counter any possible attack from the Emerald City. The ministers ruling Munchkinland tried to take a similar position, but the men folk- bunch of uneducated pagans- idolized Dorothy. They wanted her in charge and slaughtered anyone who disagreed. As far as I know, they are still cutting heads. "

"You humans have gone mad." The Phoenix stated from the other side of the table- the section reserved for her and Chistery. "You fools keep jumping against each other's throats and push away those that protect you. Before you know it demons and shadows will be breathing onto your necks and then you will have a real enemy to worry about. And as you fight, we animals and Animals will watch from the shadows, for it will be only the wicked fighting and being slaughtered. May Lurlina be as tolerant as we think she is. Who knows, maybe if this heretic believe of that new god of yours- that one without even a _name_- has not offended her, she will come to your aid."

"What's all that pagan propaganda?" Frexspar suddenly muttered scandalized, straightening on his chair. "Who is talking? Who is that? The wicked fighting? What are you up to now, Elphaba?"

Elphie shuddered and let out a strangled moan but said nothing. Glinda caressed her elbow gently and tried to change the subject, but Frex continued divagating, clinging-like all of the elders- into their regrets and sorrows with careless and brutal honesty.

"Ah, Elphaba, I made so many mistakes with you. I should have never exposed you to the Quadlings. Nessa never give ear to their misleading tales and believes. But you were always listening, always asking, always pressing for more and more of their confusing babblings. You dwelled on it like a fish on water. Like the people of Nest Hardings." He closed his eyes. "…all my failures into one little green package. What a perfect punishment you turned out to be…"

The Witch shuddered and twitched and slammed both her fists on the table. She whirled to glare at the old man with such venom that both Shell and Glinda hold their breaths in anticipation of an attack. She stood winced and slumped back down on the chair. Then she passed one trembling hand through her hair and stiffened. Glinda tried to take her hand.

"I wasn't a fucking punishment!!" Elphaba howled then, her deep voice shrill. "I was just a consequence of your selfishness and blinded faith! I was a consequence of your abandonment! It is you my punishment! My punishment for having being born!"

They all gaped at her for a long time. Then a strangled wheezed crawled out of Frex throat and he stiffened. His eyes bulged out. Ms Potato jumped to her feet and ran to assist him as Shell, alarmed, helped the old man down and laid him on the floor.

Glinda jumped to her feet and stared wide eyed and confused. Chistery snatched an apple and hurried away. The Phoenix clacked her beak nervously and drops of chewed off meat fell off Liir's gaping mouth. The Witch glanced at the convulsing form of Frexspar and then turned her eyes back to her plate to finish her salad.


	7. Father

Last part of chapt. 6 (The Bitchy Chapter…)

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The Good Witch was slamming her creamy delicate fist on the door to the Wicked Witch's room- who was sulking inside. After five minutes of incessant pounding, she stopped.

"Elphaba, please, open the door!" For the millionth time her pleading requests went unanswered. "I won't tolerate being ignored any longer! If you do not open this door right now, you will have to have it replaced!"

Her faced blushed immediately and she licked her lips- but kept her ground.

"What the hell do you want?" The voice that answered was barely audible from behind the wood and stones concealing its owner.

"Open the door, Elphie. Please. Don't make me act like such a neurotic."

The door opened- but just enough for Elphaba to peer outside and fixed an unfriendly eye on her.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Could I come in?"

"Why must I ask the same question yet again? You come here and make threats and thrashed my door and I'm still obliged to insist what your business is!"

"Don't you act all lofty with me! Your father just suffered a heart attack last night. He is too old and that stroke… He is so weak right now…"

Glinda faltered to a stop. She struggled with the words, trying to find a gentle way of airing- perhaps even just hinting at the obvious truth. But the Witch only glared with obtuse indifference-or even perhaps knowing and not caring. Glinda was unable to feel sympathy. Those strange hard eyes give nothing anyone could relate to.

"He is dying, Elphaba."

The eyes narrowed for the briefest of moments and then the Witch turned to close the door. Glinda wasn't even sure what happened then. Her body seemed to move on its own accord- it rebelled against all codes of ethics and good manners- and also of self-preservation. It lunged forward and shoved the door open. Her legs dragged her inside.

The smell on the room made her gagged. Instead of a roof there seemed to be a huge creature hovering above- an immense evil beast- too dark to be seeing and too cold to be _felt_. Hundreds of tiny lights flickered like stars within its broad back- staring wirily at the intruder.

Three of the shadows squeaked and jumped at Glinda. She yelped and her hand flashed to the belt of her velvet dress- where the magic wand was always tucked in. The crows flew past her and perched on top of the opened door.

The strong fuel of anger deserted her. Some primitive instinct at the back of her mind urged her to run- to escape. But now the crows where there and she didn't want to get too close to them- or to their sharp beaks.

The Witch was sprawled on the floor. One of her bony hands was still clutching the doorknob tightly. She looked angry. Glinda wasn't even sure she had ever seeing Elphaba angry before. Not at her. It terrified her. The eyes on that greenish face practically glowed in her rage. Thin lines of blue seemed to crack apart the even brown of the iris- like lighting sizzling through a field of dark gray clouds

Three big white winged monkeys crawled down from the smothering shadows above them-gripping the stones of the walls tightly with their hands- and gathered around the Witch. Glinda's chocking panic subsided somewhat. Chistery was among them.

"You….you should go…." She said after clearing her dried up throat. She straightened and wiped the sweating palms of her hands on her dress- trying to make it look casual and graceful. "I suggest you go to his room and make peace with him. "

"And I suggest you to mind your own business, Ms Upland." The Witch hissed back, standing again on her ruined bamboo-pole like legs. "I still do not comprehend why you are still her. Your presence is becoming quite vexing."

"Don't….Elphaba, please. Think about it. Your last talk with Nessa was a fight.… Oh, don't give me that look. She told me about it. I _was_ her friend, remember? I didn't agree with her ways or believes, but she was still my friend. And she was still your sister."

The Witched snarled and whirled away. She limped towards the fire- a pathetic little flame so incapable of warming the room as it seemed unable to illuminate it. She stayed there. The silence seemed to last forever.

"You can deny it all you want." Glinda said. "But it's only us in this room. Us and the monkeys and the crows and…and the shadows…They don't understand and maybe I'll believe you. But that's hardly what matters."

She waited a moment, but there was no answer. She sighed then and turned to leave the room. There was a rustle of flapping wings- the crows flying away from the door as she closed it softly behind her.

Brother Frexspar lied on his bed, wheezing and choking on his own saliva every few minutes. The cold wind whistled and howled outside but the room was kept cozy and warm. Ms Potato sat next to the bed- awake and attentive - even when she was even older than the patient.

She opened her tiny eyes a bit as someone entered the room. Her sight wasn't good but the flicker of green gave away who it was, even when the face remained blurry.

"Halhi…savá."

Ms Potato nodded shortly. She hoped down of the chair and left the room in silence.

"Fabala?" Frex wheezed.

Elphaba sat next to him and caressed his face tenderly with soft fingers.

"…You didn't mean it…You didn't mean all that…."

She stared- bleared eyed.

"You came here to die. You couldn't even spare me that. Why should I spare you the pain of my hatred?"

He moaned- a small pathetic little sound. Elphaba felt tears dwelling up on her eyes.

"Have you…no mercy for…a dying man, my child….Have I….really being such….a bad person?"

"I was your daughter. And you never cared."

The tears burnt her- they cut through the skin, reopening the scars left there so many months ago. But she didn't care. It was a welcomed distraction to the chocking agony on her chest.

"I thought… you were a demon at first." Frex whispered. "A ruined baby- possessed and corrupted by the spirits of hell."

She sobbed and squeezed his hand when he hesitantly traced hers with weak trembling fingers.

"Why the teeth, I never knew. Never knew why those teeth…"

Frex turned to her. Through the lairs of smothering whiteness covering his eyes, there seemed to be tenderness shining on the black buried pupils. There seemed to be love…and regret. He opened his mouth, closed it again. He wheezed one last breath and the eyes closed for the last time.


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry for the delay, wasn't in the proper mood. I kept writing shit about Elphaba dancing naked with Glinda…I shall do it again…but not yet. Jojojo

I found the Wicked category on the book section =D So I'm also changing this from category =)

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Elphaba stared numbly at the young tree Ms Potato had planted on top of Frex's grave. It danced on the howling winds- accompanying the one adorning Nanny's grave. The Winkies didn't believe in the soul. For them, everything had a spirit- immortal but earthbound. When the body died they rose in search of a new body, leaving behind their thoughts and memories. The tree would be the home of her father's spirit now- as the young pine next to it had already become Nanny's. They both were now sacred creatures and that made her feel a little better.

Shell was whispering a prayer to the Unnamed God. She knew the paragraph. She had recited it countless of times- back at the mauntery. But now the words seemed blurry and unintelligible. Empty and meaningless…

Something touched her and she flinched violently. Her head snapped first towards the pale hand on her forearm and then at the body it was attached to. Then at the face…at the blue gentle eyes.

Glinda's nose was all puffed and the tears of her weeping had ruined the carefully placed makeup…and she was still beautiful. Elphaba faintly wondered what made some creatures beautiful and others repulsive. Was it a matter of physical appearance or was perhaps something else- something invisible to the eyes? And if it was physical, what was it? Fyiero had found _her_ beautiful, when the rest of Oz found her repulsive- or as Glinda had put it once: _exotic_. She could understand exotic…but Yero had called her beautiful.

"Elphie, honey…lets go inside, you look a bit pale."

Could it be the way one acted? If Avaric lost his charisma, showing what and who he really was, would he become even more repulsive than she was? And If Glinda would turn into a Toad, would she still be considered beautiful for anyone that placed eyes upon her. Could it be the eyes? Those eyes so deep and so gentle and so warm…

"Shell!"

Like an angel, those she had seeing in the Grimmery and on the walls at Nessa's palace. Was it the soul perhaps that made others so beautiful? Had Fyiero given her a soul and taken it away on his death? Maybe it was love?

"Elphaba!" The angel was shoved away and a man appeared on her vision, a man she knew- but couldn't really place. He seemed concern. He lifted her limp body and carried her away.

Elphaba glanced around. The angel was there, looking at her, and it made her smile. Maybe she would give her a soul before taking her home.

Nothing had much sense anymore. Sometimes it was light and sometimes it was dark. Sometimes she felt as if her skin was on fire- others the cold chilled her bones. There was pain and there was fear and her moans and whimpers seemed to die in nothingness. Just when the angel appeared, the torment subsided. Creamy white hands would touch her, and there where they lay the burning would stop. She didn't want the angel to leave and the angel never did. She was always there, by her side, taking her hand, talking to her. She was all there was in the world. The only thing that mattered.

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The monkeys screeched and jumped and leaped from expensive pieces of furniture to delicate and irreplaceable pieces of art, breaking and scratching and turning them all into useless heaps of wood and fabric and shattered glass. Sometimes they would howl and snarl and viciously attack one another. They flew around in circles like starving vultures.

Glinda was having problems controlling them. When she spoke, they would stop and listen, but as soon as she turned her attention back to Elphaba, the fits and violence would restart. She was tired and desperate to have some sleep, but the crows were there too. They refused to leave and remained perched on the head of the bed. She was afraid that at any moment they would poke out the eyes of Elphaba- or hers- if she were to fell asleep.

Leaving wasn't an option either. Every time she moved, Elphaba moaned and whimpered. Her eyes would snap open and fix on her as raw with naked emotions as before cold and hard. Glinda couldn't find the strength to leave and remained on her sit, bound to the green hand between her fingers.

Ms Potato would come and go to check on Elphie, placing big hands on the green neck and chest- sometimes opening her eyelids to peer what lay inside. Liir would come too- every day at dawn and dusk. Sometimes he stirred the fire, sometimes he moved closer to the bed to stare. He would leave after a minute or so without saying a word. It all became a painful and seemly endless routine. Except for Shell who had appeared once- as if to make sure his sister was still alive—and then banished.

"I have…sinned…" Elphaba moaned once as Glinda rubbed her forehead with oil covered fingers- trying to cool down the burning skin. "I…have killed…I've denied forgiveness…I've being denied forgiveness. I'm evil… broken…wicked…"

"Hush, now." Glinda said tenderly- trying to keep her own desperation and weariness out of her voice. "You are not evil, and we both know it."

"I've ruined it. I…tried to punish him…and I destroyed my last hopes…of forgiveness…of freedom…I'm hopeless…soulless…"

"You are not hopeless. I wouldn't be here if you would."

Elphaba opened her mouth to protest but sighed softly instead as Glinda's hands lowered to her scarred cheeks.

"And wasn't it you that told me once that denying the possibility of something for lack of proves is just as stupid and dangerous as stating its absolute veracity?" She reached to the night table and picked a wooden pot. "You can't prove that you have a soul, Mss Elphaba, but you can't prove that you don't either."

The eyes staring at her grew foggy and unfocused. Glinda sighed and fell silent. Elphaba wasn't listening anymore. Pale fingers sliced easily on the pot's content. A soft scent rose from the oil and it was a welcome change to the stench of burning wood and animal's urine. She warmed it between her hands a moment and then started rubbing Elphie's neck and chest. She flinched a bit when Elphaba closed her eyes and lifted herself a bit to press further into her touch. She licked her lips and fought to push away an unwelcome feeling.

Chistery- one of the monkeys flying in circles above- perched at the head of the bed to watch them- his teeth bared in a strange grimace and his furry hands between his legs. The golden light of the lamp reflected on the dark pupils, making it seem as if his eyes were glowing with a fire of their own.

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A strange sound invaded the silence. It was a whispering …similar to the noise a snake made…but no snake could be so loud nor could it speak through the scratching of its scales. The air itself seemed to burn but her hand felt cold and empty. It flailed and twitched and she whimpered in desperation. The angel was gone…

She opened her eyes to find the foggy world afire. Her errant hand was caught. It hurt, it burnt. She turned and found a claw, green and scaly. It was attached to a strong leg, to a long slim trunk that moved downward into a long whipping tail and in front, into a long neck crowned with a head. Her eyes widen.

She had seeing dragons before. They weren't uncommon In Quadling country. They were big silly creatures with dull eyes. Fish eaters, they flew around lakes and rivers, digging their claws into the water to snatch anything swimming below the surface. But this one…its eyes seemed able to see it all- and despised it. The reptilian face had a sly and sharp expression, reeking with redefined cruelty.

The Dragon smiled, flashings its razor-sharp teeth.

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"Shut up, you damn beast!"

"_Wake! Witch! Fae!"_

"Get the hell away! Come on, get out!"

Something crashed and there was screeching and howling and more cursing. Glinda moaned her annoyance.

"Cant someone sleep around here?" She rolled over- too tired to care about what was going on- but something grabbed her roughly by the forearms and her eyes snapped open as it jerked her up.

"_Wake Witch Fae!"_ Chistery snarled right into her face.

"You fucking thing!"

Shell leaped towards Chistery. The monkey screeched and tried to jump away but he managed to catch the animal's leg and hurled him out of the room, slamming the door shut to keep him out. But it was too late; Glinda was awake and glancing numbly around. He cleared his throat and tried to regain some of his composure.

"Don't mind that stupid thing. Just go back to sleep."

"Wha…" She looked around. This wasn't her room. This wasn't her bed…Her eyes widened. "What on Oz?!"

"No, no, no, no." Shell said with his palms up in a pacifying gesture. "You fell asleep on that chair and I brought you here so you could get some sleep. I was leaving but those fucking animals wouldn't leave you alone."

Glinda blinked, fighting off the dizziness. It had sense, all of it. Maybe she _could_ sleep. She was so tired, so very very tired…

"_Fae_!" Chistery howled outside. He thrashed the door, maybe even slamming himself against it for the sound of the blows. "_Fae_!"

"Why does it call you that?"

"Not me…Elphaba…"Glinda yawned. But then her eyes snapped open. "Elphaba, wha…?"

"She was asleep." Shell rolled his eyes. "Look, the old crown is with her and you need to rest. Nothing is gonna happen cause you aren't there."

But Glinda didn't listen. Her chest felt tight and her palms were sweating. Something was wrong. Chistery's wailings weren't helping to ease her mind. Without a word, she pushed the covers off her and searched for her shoes. She slipped them on and walked towards the door. Shell scowled and opened it for her.

"When you fall off that chair I won't be carrying you all the way here again."

Glinda ignored him. Chistery screeched and led her away at a run.

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The silence and darkness was terrifying. Chistery slowed down to be at her side. He was afraid and it didn't help to ease Glinda's own fears as they both walked down the corridor towards her room.

Ms Potato looked up from the bed and smiled gently. Glinda smiled back, a bit hesitantly at first, and the giggled.

"You silly thing." She hissed to Chistery, scowling down at him. "You almost scared me to death with all that melodrama."

Elphaba was awake and staring at the ceiling with dreadful intensity- her hands clutching the mattresses tightly. Ms Potato's were cradling her face, massaging the green temples, rubbing her thumbs over the green brow.

"What are you doing?" Glinda asked, feeling a strange pang on her chest. Was it _jealousy_? She blushed and pushed the stupid feeling away. "You…you are scaring her."

Ms Potato murmured something- her blue pupils were a strange shade of orange at the light of the lamp. She lifted one hand from Elphaba and made a gentle gesture, inviting Glinda to sit on a chair. Glinda swallowed and neared the bed to sit down. The monkeys were quite and still, their eyes on the bed. Chistery leaped forward and perched at the foot of the bed and froze- resembling an angry looking gargoyle.

"What's wrong?" She tried to loosen the grip of the green fingers on the covers but they wouldn't budge. "Does it hurt somewhere?...Elphie?"

The wild frightened eyes turned to her and the hand suddenly clamped into hers. Glinda cried out in pain and surprise as it squeezed her poor bones.

"Morrible…Carp…" Elphaba moaned in a rasping choked voice.

"What?"

"…A Dragon…"

Ms Potato chuckled and patted Elphaba's check on what Glinda supposed was meant to be a reassuring gesture, but it seemed to terrify her even more. The Good Witch glanced concerned at one and the other. Ms Potato smiled and made a circling motion with a chubby finger right next to her temple and then withdrew a small object from one of her pockets: an emerald green bottle. Elphaba's eyes widen and she heaved a strangled wail.

"Holy…!" Glinda doubled over and screamed as the pain on her hand increased horribly. She clawed at Elphaba's wrist, trying to break free. "Elphaba! _Shit_! You will break it!"

But Elphaba eyes were wide and fixed on the green bottle. Ms Potato lifted her head from the pillow and placed it onto her lips.

"Wait! What is that?!" Glinda shrieked, still trying to pull free. "Why is she so afraid?!"

"Fever." Ms Potato said. "Will make it better."

"No!" Elphaba moaned.

The air was suddenly filled with enraged screams and howls. The monkeys jumped from the corners of the room with their fangs bared, gray wings flapping madly and their eyes wild and furious. Ms Potato screamed in fright as Chistery shoved her off the bed and into the center of the flock.

"Stop!" Glinda screamed horrified, finally snatching her hand back. "Stop it!"

But her voice was overrode by the screeching and roaring of the animals mixed with Ms Potato's own terrified screams. The Good Witch straightened and snatched the wand of her belt.

The monkeys scattered away like a flock of startled doves as a lightening cut through the air and ripped it with deafening noise and blinding light. Glinda panted and stared with sick revulsion at the heap left on the floor.

Ms Potato- grumbling and puffing- rose to her feet and dusted off what was left of her smock, ignoring the gashing wounds and cuts crossing her body. Her face- as calm as ever- lifted and she fixed her tiny eyes on the bed.

Elphaba was sitting up and baring her teeth at the woman in a grimace of hatred. Chistery- next to her- had a similar expression on his face. Glinda noticed, for the very first, time that Elphaba had fangs…long and very inhuman fangs.

The Good With swallowed and moved towards Ms Potato as the monkeys started gathering around them, hissing and growling viciously. The winkie woman glanced at them and turned to Glinda, placing the green bottle firmly on her hand.

"She cookoo now." She said waving, her hand dismissively at Elphaba. "She drinks this. All this."

She patted Glinda's hand motherly and turned to leave the room, ignoring the hissing beasts following her every move. The door was slammed shut on her way out.


	9. Chapter 9

"Glinda…" The hushed whisper disturbed her dream, and she groaned in annoyance. "Glinda…where is my broom?"

"I don't know." She muttered angrily.

"You have to know!" Whoever it was talking started shaking her. "Wake up, damn it!

Her eyes finally opened. Elphaba's face was the first thing she saw, then she registered the long pointed hat adorning her head, and the dark coat thrown over her shoulders. She frowned and turned to the bed…it was empty.

"Elphie, what the hell are you doing? Get back on bed, for heaven's sake!"

"Hush!" Elphaba covered her mouth. She glanced at the door suspiciously and then turned to her again. "My broom, Glinda. Where is it?"

Glinda muffled something and Elphaba finally released her hold on her.

"It burnt, Elphie. On that hideous Dorothy incident, remember? And it was your fault, really. Whatever possessed you to set it on fire?"

"I didnt set it on fire! And it wouldnt really matter now, would it? Whats done is done. Get something on, we are leaving."

"What?! Leaving?!"

"Stop screaming, you idiot. You will wake everyone up!"

"And you stop _being_ an idiot. Get that hideous cloth off and get on bed right now!"

"We can't stay here. I don't know what that _Carp_ wants with me, but I'm tired of it! We are leaving, come on!"

She tried to drag her towards the door, but though her grip was strong, her legs had no strenght at all.

"A Carp? Elphaba, its snowing outside by the way. And you have being sick for days. Your hand is burning, you are burning! Get on the bed!"

"No, Im leaving and I wont leave you here! You are a stubborn, feeble minded fool...but I still care for you. Be all thats holy damn, I still think of you as my friend. We must leave. To the mountains, to the village, with the scrows!" She stopped then. "With the Elephants. We are going with the Elephants."

"No. No, we are not going anywhere. You are delirious, thats what you are. I should have made you drink that thing days ago. You will drink it now, come on."

Glinda, who had stand there, immune to Elphaba's shoving, finally pushed back. The Witch's precarious balance flattered and she fell back down onto the bed.

"Glinda!"

"Drink this, don't be difficult."

"Im not drinking that and Its not me who is being difficult."

"Please, Elphie…"

"Chistery, get the wand!"

"Wha…?"

Before Glinda could react, the monkey snatched the wand off her belt and passed it to Elphaba. The Witch whirled it between long green fingers and planted it's sharp end firmly against Glinda's neck. The Good Witch froze.

"Elphie…What are you doing?"

"Helping you. Back off. I cant stand with your bulk over me."

Glinda slided down, holding her arms up, her eyes wide and fearful.

"Hum...there is really no need to get violent. Just put the wand down, and we will talk this over. You can tell me more about this...vacations you have planning..."

"Get a coat on. Now."

Glinda bit her lower lip- and never taking her eyes off the wand- snatched the beautiful winkie poncho from the back of the chair.

"Something else. You will freeze with that."

"Uh…The closet is on the other side of the room."

"Chistery…"

"_Witch?"_ The monkey asked politely.

"Uh…that one."

"Dont be ridicolous. You won't be able to walk with that."

"Fine, then the one next to it…to the right....to the _right_...no…the one with the flowers, Chistery dear."

"Don't you have something normal to wear?! Bring the black one, Chistery."

"Oh, look who is talking. What demon you offended and gave you that hat?"

Chistery jumped back on the bed next to them and handed Glinda a plain and heavy furcoat.

"Smells like weasel." Elphaba noted, glancing at the door a few times as Glinda put the thing on above her poncho.

"It is." She said, wrinkling her nose. "I....its nice but...so....borning and old styled. Elphie..."

"The Elephants wont mind. Are we sure its not Weasel?"

"You never stop, do you?"

* * *

"Elphie, please, be reasonable." Glinda said for the eleventh time. They had to stop a third time for Elphaba to recover. She was leaning against the wall, wheezing and trembling. The patio doors were wide open. And the cold wind howled outside. "You have being sick, you have fever now and look at you! You can barely stand."

"Stop...screaming."

Glinda glared at her. If it wasnt for the herd of monkeys sitting all around them, she would have snatch the wand of that bony green hand even before leaving the room.

"Maybe Ill really scream."

"That would be very stupid for then I would have to shut you up with this little stick and then my monkeys would have to drag you away through the snow like a dead cow. We will be far gone by the time they come."

"A cow?" Glinda gasped. "A cow?!"

"Shut up! And move. Im fine now."

"No. I think you don't even know how to use that thing."

"Oh, but I do. I'm the Wicked Witch of the West, remember? I can do magic just as easily as you can."

Glinda opened her mouth to retort, but closed it again. The two of them stared at one another for a long time- leveling one another.

"Move. Now."

* * *

"This is madness. You will get yourself killed. And me with you!" Glinda hissed in anger as they dragged themselves through the snow towards the stables.

"Yeah, and me with you two." The Phoenix landed right in front of them, throwing snow all over the monkeys leading the two Witches.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Glinda exclaimed. "Would you please, Mss Phoenix, try and get some sense into this foolish green thing? She has being sick and is obviously delirious at the moment."

The Bird stared at her with a level gaze. Glinda's eyes widen. The Phoenix was saddled.

"Are you...on to this?" She gasped. The Bird shrugged and started prining her feathers. "But…but…No! You are my mount, you are my servant! I _bought_ you!"

"You fired her." Elphaba reminded her.

"I fired myself." The Bird corrected stiffly.

"No you didn't" Glinda disagreed, "But please, do. Maybe something nicer will _rise above the ashes_."

The Phoenix glared at her, clacking her beak.

"Would you stop? You are acting like a couple of children."

Glinda refused to mount untill Elphaba threated to have the monkeys taking her in the air. When she was on, the Witch sat behind her.

"Ready then?"

"No."

"Yes."

The Bird grinned and jumped high in the sky, flapping her powerfull wings. Glinda glanced back at the Kiamo Ko castle and its protective walls longingly. The monkeys raised into the sky behind them, whirling away from the towers where their nested- resembling a black oblicous tornado.

The Good With of the North turned away from the sight and hugged the warm neck of the Phoenix, wishing fervently that it was all just a bizarre dream.


End file.
